


Anger

by hailingstars



Series: Febuwhump [13]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Can be seen as a continuation of last febuwhump story, Dead May Parker (Spider-Man), Dogs, F/M, Febuwhump, Parent Tony Stark, Peter loves animals, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-27 19:46:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17773112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hailingstars/pseuds/hailingstars
Summary: Saving a tiny pit bull puppy from a dogfighting ring, easy, but convincing Tony and Pepper to let him keep him, a lot harder.





	Anger

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ArdenSkyeHolmes221](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArdenSkyeHolmes221/gifts).



> Apologizing in advance if this one seems messy!! The words weren't coming today, but I still wanted to post!!
> 
> This one is for ArdenSkyeHolmes221, who's always so lovely in the comments, and who's idea this was!! 
> 
> If anyone has any ideas for tomorrow (the prompt is fallen) let me know in the comments.

Peter watched from the ceiling as two pit bulls snarled at each other, as people, the worst kind of people, shouted and bellowed from the sidelines of the makeshift, circular arena. The dogs were crouched low, with their heads almost touching the ground, growling, ready to attack each other for the entertainment of a sick, sick audience. 

There was stomach acid in Peter’s throat as he stuck up high, as he plotted his strategy, and the anger brewed inside his chest that was almost completely foreign to him. He didn’t understand why anyone would want to be cruel to animals. He thought, a bit recklessly, that he should free the dogs and let them lose on the crowd. 

It was just a thought, though. Not something he’d act on. Spider-Man was better than the criminals he fought. 

After just a few more seconds of debate, he decided the simplest strategy was the best strategy. He sent webs at the two dogs, sticking them to the floor, so they couldn’t hurt each other, so they couldn’t hurt themselves, and grinned under his mask as the patrons and the dog owners snapped their heads to the ceiling. 

“Hey, what’s up, guys?” 

He somersaulted from the ceiling and enjoyed the looks of shock and fear. At least there was that. At least, just for a few seconds, they got to be just as scared as their victims. Peter made quick work of them and had everyone webbed to the floor quickly and effortlessly. A couple of them did try to run out the door, but Peter stopped them in their tracks, too. 

Peter looked around the web covered warehouse as he instructed Karen to call it in to the police station, and the nearest no-kill animal shelter. He stepped towards the dogs, and they both bared their teeth and tried to lunge at him. Poor, angry souls. Peter hoped they would find good families, ones that could teach them how to love instead of fight. 

“Some hero you are,” said one of the men webbed to the floor. He held a hotdog covered in tinfoil in the hand that wasn’t webbed down. “You’re no friend of Queens, destroying local businesses this way.” 

He responded by webbing the man’s mouth shut and snatching his dinner away from him. He removed the tinfoil, tossed it on the floor next to the man, and threw each pit bull half of the hot dog. That, at least, got their tails wagging. 

Peter stopped when he got to the exit and turned. “I hope those webs hold up until the police get here.” 

His webbing could hold for hours, but the patrons of the dogfighting show, and the runners, deserved a lot worse than a few minutes of panic. 

*

The warehouse that housed the illegal dogfighting ring had long, dark and winding hallways, and Peter walked through one of those when he heard it. A high-pitch squeal, followed by a sad, pitiful whine, came from somewhere down on the floor. He took several steps backward and looked down. 

Sitting there, hiding behind a trash can, sat a small pit bull puppy. He was white with giant black spots, one that completely covered the fur around his right eye, and another that engulf his left ear. The pup looked up at him, trembling in the dark, and whined again. 

“Hey, shhh,” he said, as he bent down. “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.” 

Slowly he extended his arm forward, petting him, and in return the pit bull licked his hand. 

Peter fell in love. 

He scooped him up in his hands and held him to his chest. “You can come home with me. Where it’s safe.” 

If he thought the pup could understand, Peter would’ve explained to him there was no place safer on Earth, maybe even off it, than Iron Man’s penthouse.

He stroked the tiny dog’s head with his thumb as he walked out of the warehouse. He looked both ways once he was outside, then pointed his wrist towards the sky. He quickly put it back down. He couldn’t swing back home. Not without scaring the hell out of an already scared pup.

Having only one choice, Peter walked back to Manhattan, wearing his Spidey suit, and carrying a trembling, crying pit bull puppy. Later he’d have to cruise through Instagram under the Spider-Man hashtag and look at all the pictures. However many of them were snapped, Peter told himself it was worth it to bring his new friend home. 

Or, it would have been worth it, if Peter would’ve been able to successfully sneak him into the penthouse. Tony waited for him just outside the elevator. His eyes looked down at the small bundle in his hands, then up at his face. 

“No, absolutely not,” said Tony. He turned and marched into the kitchen, not giving Peter a chance to respond and forcing him to follow. He took off his mask and moved to stand directly in front of Tony. 

“But look at him.” 

Peter held the puppy up like Mufasa presenting the next king of the animal kingdom. He let out a bark, and Tony blinked. 

“I see him. The answer is still no.” 

He sat at a bar stool and diverted his attention to his phone, as if the discussion was over, but Peter was nowhere near ready to give up. Especially when he almost had him. If Tony was distracting himself, he was close to caving up, but unfortunately for Peter, Pepper entered at that very moment. Two against one just wasn’t fair. 

 

She stopped walking, looked at the dog, looked at Peter, and gave him a look he figured was invented for Tony but now used on him. 

“Peter. No.” 

“That’s what I told him but for some reason the dog is still in my penthouse.” 

Peter walked across the kitchen and carefully placed the puppy down on the counter, near where Tony was working so hard to ignore them both. He waited until Tony looked up from his phone to bring out the eyes. 

“Dad, please,” he said. He hoped he was as compelling as the puppy had been when he licked Peter’s hand. He was once, but he wasn’t sure if he aged out of it. 

“That doesn’t work on me anymore.” 

“Peter,” said Pepper, again, and Peter’s shoulders dropped. 

Tony would say no over and over again, but Pepper would explain. She would give him reasons for their answer, and Peter didn’t want to be reasoned with. He was in love. There was no logic in that, and he didn’t feel like it was appropriate to reason with it. 

“He would be very unhappy here,” she told him. “A puppy needs constant attention and training, and you’re busy with school and decathlon and Spider-Man. He needs a home who can give him all the attention he needs.”

“That’s what Uncle Rhodey said to dad when he got me,” said Peter, with a frown. 

Tony raised an eyebrow. “You’re comparing yourself to a dog?” 

Peter pouted and Tony laughed and Pepper held onto her logic, so Peter knew he would enviably have to say goodbye to the love of his life. Thanks to Pepper and her reasonableness, her willingness to explain, he couldn’t even be properly angry with them.

“He can stay the night,” said Tony. He dropped his phone on the table. “In the morning I’ll drive you to a shelter and we can drive him off.” 

Peter sighed but accept it. There wasn’t any point in continuing arguing with his parents when they were together. As a united front, they were unstoppable. He scooped his friend off the counter and took him back to his bedroom. At least they had the night. 

*

Peter woke up in the middle of the night to the puppy’s whining. He sat up, saw the dog was nowhere to be found and swung his feet onto the floor. He stumbled down the hallway, still half-asleep, but awake enough to realize the puppy’s cries had stopped. Looking into the living room, he saw why.   
Tony sat on the couch, cradling the puppy, who he’d wrapped in a small blanket. He stroked the top of his head and said, “Shh, it’s okay.” 

It reminded Peter of his first few weeks with Tony, when all he did was cry for his dead relatives, and tony held him, let him fall asleep on him. He grinned and got a sudden boost of energy he used to jump over the back of the couch and plop down next to Tony. 

“Jesus Christ,” said Tony, startled. The puppy let out another whine. “Great, he was almost asleep.” 

“You love him,” said Peter, in triumph. 

“I do not. No one can sleep in this house with him whining,” said Tony. Peter sunk into the couch and leaned against Tony. “You owe me, kid.” 

Peter straightened out and turned to look at him. “Why?” 

“I talked Pepper into letting you keep the dog,” he said. “Uh, I’m going to put a little dog bed down in the workshop so I can take care of him while you’re at school.” 

“Really?” 

“Yes. Just don’t make me regret, okay? He’s your responsibility when your home,” said Tony. He passed the puppy off to him. “Which cues my exit. Keep him quiet. I need my beauty sleep.” 

Peter nodded and smiled at the dog, his dog, asleep in his arms, and thanked his lucky stars Tony was softer than he pretended to be.


End file.
